Labor signs tunnel deal

Libs to fight West Gate project

CONSTRUCTION will soon begin on a tunnel that will cut up to 20 minutes from the trip between Geelong and Melbourne, but a $1.2 billion cost blowout is causing concern.

The State Government yesterday signed contracts to build a West Gate Bridge alternative — the $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel — with construction to begin next month.

Geelong state Labor MP Christine Couzens said the tunnel would slash travel times between Geelong and Melbourne by bypassing traffic jams on the West Gate Bridge with a tunnel under Melbourne’s inner west.

“Geelong people know the West Gate carpark only too well. That’s why we’re building the West Gate Tunnel — to cut travel times and fuel costs, and give Geelong drivers time back to spend how they choose,” Ms Couzens said.

The Opposition said the plan included a price tag of about $1.2 billion more than an original proposal to link the West Gate Tunnel to CityLink north of the CBD.

“Further it has been revealed that the annual toll increase will be significantly higher than expected, meaning motorists could pay as much as $15 billion in CityLink toll extensions between 2035-45,” Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said.

“Last Friday, the Liberal Nationals wrote to Transurban to advise it that we will be voting to disallow any Andrews Labor Government proposal to amend the CityLink Concession Deed so as to extend the period of the concession in order to fund the West Gate Tunnel.”

Western Victoria Liberal MP Simon Ramsay said the project represented a “massive cost blowout” and would put more pressure on Geelong’s motorists and train users.

“The Coalition will not support a project that requires legislation to amend the CityLink Concession Deed to extend tolls . . . and will block legislation to that effect in Parliament this week,” he said.

The project would force Geelong motorists to slow down in the construction zone and battle for safety with more trucks forced on to the road.

“While this is normal, it simply adds to what is already a protracted journey,” he said.

“And if motorists choose to go by rail they face a slow sardine service that has reportedly failed 36 of its last 39 punctuality targets.

“Whichever way it goes this is going to be hard work for the Geelong community.”

The project will include four extra lanes on the West Gate Freeway between the M80 and the West Gate Bridge, with three express lanes in each direction.

It is scheduled to be completed by 2022.